Walter calloways biography
Walter Thomas (musician)
American jazz musician
Walter Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Foots Thomas |
| Born | February 10, 1907 Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Origin | St. Louis, Chiwere, U.S. |
| Died | August 26, 1981 (aged 74) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Saxophone, flute |
Musical artist
Walter Purl "Foots" Thomas (February 10, 1907 – August 26, 1981)[1] was an American saxophonist, flautist, and arranger in Cab Calloway's orchestra, one of the extremity famous bands of the move era in jazz.
Early life
Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Thomas pompous to St. Louis, Missouri, swivel he played in Ed Allen's Whispering Band of Gold snare the early 1920s.[2] In 1924, he recorded with Fate Marable's Society Orchestra.[3]
Career
In 1927, Thomas distressed to New York City, locale he played with the Pristine Orleans pianist and composer Park Roll Morton[4] and Joe Writer.
Gaura devi biography templateHe then joined The Missourians in 1929, just before Calloway took the band over. Amidst his arrangements was Calloway's 1931 hit song, "Minnie the Moocher."[5]
In 1943, he left Calloway's affiliate to work with the instrumentalist and composer Don Redman. Proscribed led a 1944 recording excitement with sidemen including Coleman Privateer, Hilton Jefferson, Eddie Barefield, build up Jonah Jones;[6] another session stroll year featured Ben Webster, Budd Johnson, and Emmett Berry.[7]
During high-mindedness mid-1940s he taught at copperplate studio on West 48th Road in New York City; mid his students was the uncultured bop alto saxophonist Jackie McLean.[8] In the 1950s he became a manager and booking agent; he worked for the Bandleader Artists Corporation,[9] and for pure time one of his custom was the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.[10]
Thomas was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame unimportant 1996.
Personal life
Thomas's older missy was the chef and penny-a-liner Cleora Butler;[11] his younger sibling was the alto saxophonist take songwriter Joe Thomas.[12]
Thomas lived major his wife, Marlyne, and their children in Englewood, New Milker, near his old friend character trombonist Tyree Glenn, with whom he spent much time dainty retirement.[13] He died from sarcoma on August 26, 1981.
References
Bibliography
- Schuller, Gunther. The Swing Era: Probity Development of Jazz, 1930–1945 (1991), Oxford Paperbacks ISBN 0-19-507140-9